The structure of the heart

• Semilunar Valves

  • valves between the ventricles and the main arteries leading out of the heart, which prevent back flow of blood
• atrioventricular valves

  • valves between the atria and ventricles that prevent backflow of blood
• Cardiac cycle (definition)

  • the sequence of events making up one heartbeat
• Coronary arteries

  • arteries that carry blood back to heart muscle
• Vena Cava

  • either of two large veins that carry deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart
• Atrium

  • one of the upper chambers in the heart
• ventricles

  • the lower chambers of the heart
• Pulmonary vein

  • the vein carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart
• septum

  • the wall seperating the ventricles and the atrias
• tendinous cord

  • string-like tendons used to attach the atroventricular valves of the heart to the sides of the ventricle wall; sometimes called heart strings.